Avacta Group Share News (AVCT)

(Sharecast News) - Biotherapeutics company Avacta Group has entered into an agreement with Abingdon Health for the manufacture of its saliva-based rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test, it announced on Wednesday, as part of its ongoing expansion of manufacturing capacity.
The AIM-traded firm, in partnership with Cytiva, said it was developing a rapid test strip for use with patient saliva that aims to provide a result in a few minutes, indicating whether the patient was currently infected with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes Covid-19.

It said the test had the potential to be used for frequent mass testing of the population to promptly identify infectious individuals, so that they can be isolated and treated, thus reducing the spread of infection.

Avacta recently announced a manufacturing partnership with BBI Solutions to develop and validate a scaled-up manufacturing process for the rapid coronavirus antigen test.

It said itself, Cytiva and BBI were currently in the process of technology transfer of the prototype and related manufacturing procedures for the test, with the aim to begin clinical validation of the test as soon as possible using the first pilot batches.

Avacta said Abingdon Health provides rapid testing solutions to a global client base, and has Europe's largest lateral flow test contract manufacturing capacity.

Its two sites in York and Doncaster are able to produce "millions" of rapid tests per month.

Technology transfer to Abingdon Health was set to begin immediately, with the aim of manufacturing an equivalent rapid antigen test product which would not require additional clinical validation or regulatory approvals.

The agreement with Abingdon Health would provide additional manufacturing capacity that could increase to several millions of tests per month.

"I am delighted to have partnered with Abingdon Health to expand the manufacturing capacity for Avacta's rapid saliva-based Covid-19 test," said chief executive officer Dr Alastair Smith.

"Authorities around the world are now looking to carry-out frequent mass testing to identify the most infectious people promptly in order to reduce infection rates and combat the coronavirus pandemic.

"That requires a highly specific test to minimise false positives which would otherwise overwhelm healthcare systems."

Dr Smith said the Affimer reagents that the company had generated were "very specific" to SARS-CoV-2 antigen, adding that the company was confident of "meeting and exceeding" the clinical performance requirements for identifying the most infectious people.

"Manufacturing capacity is therefore the key challenge that has to be met in achieving widespread roll-out of Avacta's saliva-based rapid antigen test.

"We therefore continue to actively seek additional manufacturing partners globally to be able to provide the volume of tests that will be required in the UK and elsewhere.

"I look forward to updating the market on progress in that regard, and will keep the market informed on the key next steps of clinical validation and regulatory approval."

At 1336 BST, shares in Avacta Group were up 1.2% at 159.9p.